RECIPE FOR A HEALTHY HEART

Small changes can make a big difference in reducing your risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the leading killer and a major cause of disability in the United States.

Some guidelines:

• Look for the American Heart Association logo on packages of meat, poultry and seafood.

• Eat no more than 5 ounces of lean meat, poultry or seafood a day.

• Eat at least two servings of fish — particularly fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and char — a week.

• Eat no more than four egg yolks a week to control your dietary cholesterol intake.

• Choose polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats rather than saturated fats.

• Eat three servings of whole-grain food, such as whole-wheat bread and brown rice, a day.

• Eat water-soluble fiber foods such as oatmeal and beans to reduce the amount of detrimental LDL cholesterol in your blood.

• Choose fat-free and low-fat dairy products.

• Eat at least four servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables a day.

Step away from the salt shaker.

It’s practically a mantra for Vonnie Coover-Stone, 56, a registered nurse at Sharp Coronado Hospital and a former personal chef. Low-sodium dishes are what she served her clients for more than a decade, and it’s how she’s always cooked for herself and her family.

Whether it’s a stuffed breakfast burrito, a rich marinara or a hearty soup, Coover-Stone’s cuisine adheres to the guidelines of the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association: unprocessed, portion controlled, low-fat and low-salt.

“When talking about heart disease, I know where it will end up if people don’t eat healthy food,” Coover-Stone said, referring to her nursing experience. “Seeing people in the hospital, it just drove it home to me. There are a lot of consequences (to eating poorly). People forget what they are doing to themselves.”

Coover-Stone achieves flavor beyond salt with herbs such as lemon pepper, or vinegar and capers. And kicking the salt habit extends to dining out as well as home cooking.

“When you go out, food is highly salted,” said Coover-Stone. “I can taste it and then I’m much more thirsty.

“When I cook at home, I just don’t add it,” she said. “If a dish needs salt, I sprinkle a little bit on when I’m eating. I’m not heavy-handed with it.”

Coover-Stone also likes Better Than Bouillon, a granulated soup base (found in the soup aisle of supermarkets) because she can scale back the prescribed amount and still make a flavorful broth with less sodium.

And recipes, even ones in health-conscious magazines such as Cooking Light, are not gospel to Coover-Stone. She is not always wed to following the stated measurements of fat and salt.

If a recipe calls for butter, for example, she will cut the amount in half, or combine a little bit with olive oil rather than banish it from a dish entirely.

“Butter has an appealing flavor, but you don’t need much,” she said. “I will use a tablespoon of it, but if the dish gets too dry, I add water. I don’t keep adding butter. It’s not quite as creamy, but it still has the taste.”

Substituting fat-free half-and-half, or even 2 percent milk thickened with a little flour is another dandy way to sidestep full-fat half-and-half, or artery-clogging heavy cream in recipes, she said.

Reading labels is important, too, she said. A product may be low in fat and sodium, but if you eat the whole package, you’ve done yourself no favors.

“It takes time and effort,” Coover-Stone admits of maintaining heart-healthy cooking and eating habits. “But that is one thing people need to be aware of — know what a portion is. Know what the guidelines are.”

Chicken Soup with Rice, Mint and Lemon

6 (2-cup) servings

2 quarts water

1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base

1 whole chicken breast

1 large onion, chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

3 sprigs fresh mint

2 sprigs fresh parsley

1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1⁄4 teaspoon dried)

1 clove garlic, minced

4 black peppercorns, crushed

2⁄3 cup white rice

1 teaspoon lemon juice, or more to taste

Salt to taste

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

Lemon slices, for garnish

In a 4-quart saucepan over high heat, bring water, chicken base, chicken, onion, zest, mint, parsley, thyme, garlic and crushed peppercorns to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool. Strain soup in a large heatproof bowl, discarding all solids.

Return soup to the pan, set over high heat, add uncooked rice and boil, uncovered, until the soup has reduced slightly and the rice is done, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the chicken. Add to soup along with lemon juice, salt, and chopped mint. Heat about 2 minutes more. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with lemon slices and mint, if desired.

Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Sauté turkey, bell pepper and onion until turkey is browned and vegetables are soft. In another skillet, cook Egg Beaters as you would scrambled eggs until set.

Warm tortillas in microwave. In a large bowl, combine turkey and vegetables with Egg Beaters. Place one-eighth of the mixture on a warmed tortilla and sprinkle with some of the cheese. Roll up burrito and wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If freezing, place wrapped burritos in freezer-proof bag. To serve, heat in oven or microwave 1 to 2 minutes until heated through. Add salsa if desired.

Notes: You can play with your vegetables. Add or substitute sliced mushrooms, diced onion, red bell pepper, etc. Nutritional analysis is based on Burrito Size tortillas. Parmesan, Mexican cheese blend or Jalapeño Jack can be substituted for the cheddar cheese.

Notes: You can use nonstick cooking spray in place of the olive oil to reduce fat. You can substitute spicy or sweet Italian turkey sausage, but it will nearly double the sodium content. In lieu of the Better Than Bouillon base and water, you can substitute 1/2 cup red or white wine, which has less sodium.